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A young farmer living in rural New South Wales has voiced concerns about the bushfire season, saying Australia will “go up in flames this summer”.
Maddison lives on the edge of a national forest and said the land was dangerously dry after the winter’s low rainfall.
The 23-year-old claimed neither the council nor the state government cared about the danger residents and their properties were in.
She said she worries about the people she lives with because they would stay and fight a potential fire to protect their farms rather than flee the flames.
In an impassioned speech, Maddison said she had seen a few burns recently, but didn’t think there were enough.
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Maddison (pictured) lives in rural New South Wales and has shared her concerns as bushfire season approaches, saying the land is so dry Australia is “going to go up in flames this summer “.
“Mark my words, Australia is going to catch fire this summer. I live in New South Wales, very rural, I live on the edge of a national forest,” she said on TikTok. video.
“We went for a drive, the whole forest is dry, twigs, leaves… I’m so worried about summer because as soon as a fire breaks out here, our house and our livestock are gone.”
Maddison said she had been close to a fire a few years ago.
“We could see it coming, all our neighbors came to our house with fire trucks to offer to help, because it was hitting us before them,” she recalls.
“Everyone was ready to fight that fire front to try to protect our area.”
Maddison said she “felt like no one really cared” about the danger she and her neighbors were in.
Maddison said she “felt like no one really cared” about the danger she and her neighbors were in: “We’re going to have crazy fires and if you’re in town, I’m not saying you’re safe but you ‘I’m lucky’
“The council doesn’t care, the government doesn’t care,” she said.
“I’m worried because when we had the last drought, a lot of farmers and people who live far from the city are not going to just run and let everything burn. That’s not how we work, we Let’s just sit here.”
Maddison explained that in the event of a fire, farmers will stay on site to try to protect their properties from fire.
“I’m actually fucking my pants for the summer.” Do you hear this wind? And you should see how dry it is, she said.
“I think we’re going to have some crazy fires this summer and if you’re in town, I’m not saying you’re safe but you’re lucky.”
Inspector Ben Shepherd of New South Wales Rural Fire Service told FEMAIL a bushfire management committee is assessing which areas of the state will require fires to reduce the risk of a devastating bushfire.
“Every year (the committee) looks at the landscape, considers the risk and helps identify areas that need to be treated,” he said.
“Individuals have the opportunity to report areas they consider to be at risk or at risk of fire via the RFS website.”
Inspector Shepherd also said it should not be “underestimated” what landowners can do themselves to save their property from damage in the event of a bushfire.
“It needs to be clearly understood that landowners each have a responsibility on their own land to reduce fire risk,” he said.
“Simple and free measures can prepare your home for a fire, such as cleaning gutters, trimming overhanging branches, cleaning the area around the property, cleaning the garden and making sure the garden hose goes all the way around the house. the House. »
Inspector Shepherd sympathized with Maddison’s fears after previously dealing with a bushfire on his property and said the previous fire would mean there would not be the same amount of “fuel” as that the earth regenerates itself.
“I understand that level of concern (Maddison) may have as we head into another fire season.” After three rainy years, we want to refocus our attention on the fires and make sure people understand what to do,” he said.
“If a property has recently burned, it will not have the same level of fuel that we saw in the 2019 fires.” This doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous, but it will take years for this fuel to replenish again.
He said people should make sure they have a plan in place in the event of a fire, as they can be devastating before they have time to act or leave the property.
“Make sure you have a water supply or a portable pump. What is your plan if you want to stay and defend (the property), are you mentally prepared for that?,” he explained.
Inspector Ben Shepherd of the NSW Rural Fire Service said it should not be “underestimated” what landowners can do themselves to protect their property in the event of a bushfire.
“If you leave, where and when will you go?” There may come a time when a fire starts and escalates so quickly that there is no time to act or potentially leave.
He added that those who govern state forests and national parks are “doing everything they can to mitigate fuels on their lands” and that now is the time for landowners to start preparing for fire season bush.
Maddison’s video comes after experts warned that higher temperatures and lower rainfall would increase the risk of bushfires this summer.
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its long-range spring forecast, which warns Australia could bring below-average rainfall and warmer-than-usual temperatures.
Weather Zone meteorologist Corine Brown said two different weather events, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole affecting western Australia and a largely negative Southern Oscillation Index affecting the east, would result in severe weather drier.
“Precipitation forecasts for spring are significantly below median and we are looking at above-median temperatures for almost the entire country,” she said.
“Combined with vegetation growth following the latest La Niña, large areas will face an increased risk of bushfires.”
This year, several heat records have already been broken in Australia and around the world.
This winter has been the warmest in Australia’s history, while sea surface temperatures around the world have regularly broken monthly records from April to July.
Intense heat is expected to quickly dry out abundant vegetation around Australia, the result of last year’s record rainfall.
Rob Webb, CEO of the Council of Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities, said large areas of the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales, as well as parts of Victoria and South Australia, were all at risk.
“Climatic influences that lead to an increased risk of bushfires this season are widespread,” he said.
“Almost the entire country can expect drier and warmer than normal conditions this spring. It is therefore important that Australians are alert to local bushfire risks over the coming months, regardless of their location.”
“Fire is a regular part of the Australian landscape in spring.
“Wherever you live, work or travel, now is the time to plan and prepare. Understand your risk, know where you will get your information, and talk to your family about what you will do.
Bureau of Meteorology senior hydrologist Dr Masoud Edraki warned that warmer ocean temperatures could also fuel extreme weather in the coming months.
“We know that a warmer climate increases the risk of extreme weather events, including heat waves and drought,” he said.
“We are already seeing longer fire seasons and an increase in the number of dangerous fire days across most of Australia.”